Device for retaining printing-plates and the like in position.



W. Y DEAR. DEVlCE FOR RETAINING PRINHNG PLATES AND THE LIKE IN POSITION.

APPLICAHQN FILED JULY 30.1915. v 1,286,952. Patented Dec.1(), 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

W. Y DEAR.

DEVICE FOR RETAINING PRINTING PLATES AND IIIE LIKE IN POSITION.

APPLIC I\T|ON FILED JULY 30,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

j ODVL Q @Zaow WILLIAM Y. DEAR, or JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

DEVICE FOR RETAINING PRINTING-PLATES AND THE LIKE IN POSITION.

1 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

' Application filed July 30, 1915. Serial No, 42,706.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM Y. DEAR, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Jersey City, county of Hudson, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Retaining Printing-Plates and the like in Position, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for holding printing frames, printing chases, and the like, in position upon a form-cylinder or other support, and more specifically to a retaining band or bands and rotatable adjusting means coacting directly therewith.

One of the objects of. the invention is to provide an easily accessible device of the kind mentionedwhich shall permit a rapid positioningor removal of the plates from the cylinder. Another object -is to provide a device which shall occupy a comparatively small space, so that the capacity of the support shall not be limited substantially, except by the size of the printing plates placed thereon. Another object is to provide a device wherein a set of plates may be clamped or released simultaneously and. which at the same time will permit-the individual adjustment of the retaining member of each plate of the set. 1

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

My invention accordingly consists of printing plates or chases, retaining bands,

and rotatable adjustable rolls operating di- 7 rectly to tighten and loosen the same.

In the'accompanying' drawings, wherein.

certain embodiments of my invention are shown and in which similar reference numerals designate similar parts throughout, Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of a portion of a form-cylinder withthe printing plate and retaining means thereon; Fig. 2 represents a plan view of a portion of the cylinder and parts corresponding to the showing in Fig. 1; Fig. 3represents a longiofFig.5.'

tudinal sectional elevation taken on line III-III of Fig. 1; Fig.4 represents a fragmentary longitudinal sectional elevation taken on the line IV'-IV of Fig. 1.; Fig. 5 represents a modified construction showing a common means for simultaneously tightening and loosening a set of plates while p'er mitting the indiviual adjustment of each; and Fig. 6 is a section taken on lineVlP-VI It is to be notedthat whilethedrawings illustrate a complete retaining means for only; one lot of.plates,the number of sets that may be retainedwill be limited onlyby thesuperficial surface of the cylinder and.

the size of the plates. Referring now more specifically to the showing inFigs. l to 4:, 1 designates a forincylinder which is provided with a plurality.

of sets of'rectangular apertures, the apertures 2 of. each set being laterally spaced from one I another at equal distances and the apertures 3 of the ad acent set being circumferentially spaced at equal distances from the apertures 2. The apertures 2 and 3 are identical in shape and position upon the form-cylinder with the exception that they are as stated,

circumferentially spaced from one another.

The printing frames 4 or similar means for holding a printing frame are held in position by retaining means extending .be-q

tween the' corresponding apertures 2 and 3 in the two sets. These retaining means corn.

prise fiezrible bands5 and 6, preferably of steel or simllar material fitted to assume the shape of and he flat in-channels in the surface of the printing plates when in position.

The band 5, beingposition ed adj acent; the

' outer edge of the cylinder, is used to hold only the outer edge of the plate nearestthis edgepfthecylinder. The bands 6 are sub stant1ally double the width of this outer band andare adapted to contact with. two plates adjacent their edges. Themeans for holding the bands 5 n position upon theplates 4. issubstantially ident cal, anda description of one will answer for all. One end oftheiband 5 is'secured in position overlapping the aperture 2 by means of a plate 7 fitted "to overlap its aperture 2' by about half the width of. the

aperture. Mounted" on the outer end ofthis plate 7 is a second plate 8 to which is secured,.sl1ghtly to one side of the center thereof, the band 5.

The opposite end of theband is secured to. theperiphery of the rotatableroll 9 which is positioned in the aperture 3,so that;

the band is maintained in substantially parallel relation with the sides of the cylinder. The roll 9 is held in position upon a shaft 10 which is in turn supported by. a

rectangular frame having parallel radially disposed sides provided with flanges 11 which seat in a shoulder in thewalls oft-he aperture. Upon the; hub

substantially I 12 of the roller 9 isinounted a worm wheel 13 which 18 moved by a worm 14c passlng through side bars 15 of the frame. The worm isprovided with a squared head 16 to permit engagement by a wrench, the head projecting into the aperture 3, to one side of the band 5, and in such position that" it is readily accessible within the aperture. 1

In operation the printing plates or similar devices are placed in position uponthe form-cylinderwith the channels 17 and'18 with which they are usually provided in po sition to receive the bands 5 and .6. When the plates have been adjusted, rotation of the head 16 of the worm willirotate 'ther worm wheeland therebythe roll, whereby the band will be drawn tightly against the printing plates'and will securely hold them in position. In order to prevent chafing and wear of the bands along the 'line of contact thereof with the edge of the aperture 3," a shoulder 19 is provided in the aperture, ad-

jacent the line of contact, on which is fitted a seat20 upon which is secured a beveled plate 21. I

The terminals of the bands5 andlfi and theplates'7 and 8 are attached by screws.

These parts may thus be readily removed I worm gear and roller construction in each 1 of the apertures 2 is adaptedto tighten and 40 worm to one side of the band which it oper- 5 ates and adjacent the mouth of the aperture the objects of the invention set'forth abovefl In'F-igs. 5 and 6 is shown a modified st'ructure'wherein is provided adevicefor simuland replaced if desired Plate 7, flanges 11 i and 19, and support forthe wormgear and roller construction are preferably integral,

and-removable from the cylinder as a unit;

It will be -noted that in each of the apertures 2 and -3there are positioned both the support of the overhanging end of the band 5 and also the worm gearand roller constructionutilized to tighten'the band. The

loosen the bands 5 and 6 used for'retaining a 'set ofplatesto the left in Figs; 1 and 2.

In 'a' similarmanner the overhanging ends I of bands 5 and6 used with another set of plates succeeding the'ones described, and to the right in Figs. l and 2 of the drawings,

have'fixed ends'which overhang'the apertures? By this arrangement it will be observedthaft a'marked economy in'space on the form-cylinder is attained and that-in spite of the close proximity of'the parts, the

operation thereof is'in no wise interfered' with. The projection of the head of the in; which it is seated enables-an operator to engage'the head with a wrench without diflicul'ty, i and bycontinuous motion of the wrench the band may beeasily tightened or' loosenedyas may be desired. The whole of the apparatusis extremely simple in con-- struction and consists of butfia few parts,

andit will be noted achieves among others taneously operating a set of plates. In using a set of plates, it will be understood that it becomes desirable to make a rapid attachment to the form-cylinder without making a separate adjustment "each time. The modification here presented permits the simultaneous clamping of the individuals of 'i :the set of. plates while permitting also the adjustment of a single plate if this be desired or necessary; I

The constructionemployed to achieve the object above-set forth comprises a worm worm wheel 26 operatedby a worm27, the

worm'and worm wheel being situated beyond the edge of the form-cylinder. The

means of adjustment andsupport of this 1 common shaft-with' 'respect to the rollers and the; operating mechanism therefor is identical in each case, and a description of one will sufiioe for all. The frame for supporting each of: the worm gear and roller constructions comprises an inwardly pro-i jectingarm 28 in whichthe hub 32 of the roller 33 is journaled andanarm 29 which is -mounted rigidly on the: shaft 24c. Y The worm 30 is secured to an oflset portionfof [the arm 29 and is in position to coactewith the worm Wheel 31 which is mounted uponi I the hub 32 'ofthe roller 33. To this roller is securedthe'band5 in themanner heretofore indicated I Accordingto this construction it will be" notedthat if the shaft 24 be revolved in one direction, E it will, through the supporting arm 29,-move the worm, which, being locked with respect to the worm wheel, will move the latter and thereby theroller'. This'action will take place in connection "with "each ofnthe worm gear and roller constructions? and therefore there will be, simultaneously,

either a tightening 'orlooseninguof each of theba'nds '5 and 6, according to the direction in which the-shaft 24 is turned At then same' time the individual tightening or loosening' ofanyoneof the bands may be accomplished by turning the head 34 of the.

worm, which will'move its individual'worm wheeland thereby the roller 33, withoutcausing movement in any of the other parts. a The curved sides of the apertures will per-.-- mit the necessary swingingof the worm gear construction. The position of the parts illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 is that assumed prior to tightening the bands. Rotation of the worm 27 will cause a three-quarter revo lution of the shaft 24, bringing the head of the roller 34 into position in the opening 22 such that it may be readily engaged by a suitable wrench for its rotation when adjustment of an individual band is desired.

The construction set forth here also employs few parts and permits extremely rapid adjustment of the plates upon the machine. It combines both strength and simplicity and may be used with facility by even an unskilled operative.

I realize that many apparently widely different embodiments of my invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, and I therefore do not desire to be limited to the specific embodiment set forth except as indicated in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination, a plurality of printing frames, a form-cylinder acting as a support therefor, an adjustable retaining device comprising rotatable rolls and circumferentially disposed bands, each of said bands having one end fixed and the opposite end secured for rotation to its respective roll, the fixed end of one of said bands overhanging the rotatable end of the precedingband.

2. In combination, a printing frame, aform-cylinder therefor provided with circumferentially spaced apertures and an adjustable retaining device comprising a band extending circumferentially from one of said apertures to the other, one end of said band being fixed and overhanging one of said apertures, and a rotatable roll seated in the other of said apertures, the other end of said band being attached to said rotatable roll.

3. In combination, a printing frame, a form-cylinder having a series of laterally and circumferentially spaced apertures situated along the edges of said frame, bands passing across the face of said frame from one aperture to another, one end of each of said bands being fixed to overhang one of said apertures, and a worm gear and roller construction situated in another of said apertures, the other end of said band being see cured to said roller whereby upon rotation of said roller through said worm gear said band will be tightened circumferentially.

at. In combination, a printing frame, a form-cylinder provided with a plurality of sets of laterally spaced apertures, said sets being circumferentially spaced from one another, a plurality of bands extending substantially parallel to the sides of said form cylinder from the apertures constituting one set to the apertures constituting the next adjacent set, one end of each of said bands be.- ing fixed to overhang the apertures of one set, and a worm gear and roller construction situated in the other set of apertures, the opposite ends of each of said bands being attached to its corresponding roller, the worm in said worm gear construction being positioned so that its longitudinal axis is substantiallyparallel to the sides of the aperture and projecting to one side of the band, whereby upon rotation of said Worm and roller construction the corresponding band will be tightened across the face of said printing frame.

5. In combination, a plurality of printing frames, a form cylinder having laterally and circumfercntially spaced apertures therein, and retaining means for said frames comprising bands extending across the face of said frames, each having one end fixed to the cylinder, and a plurality of worm and Worm wheel and roller devices seated in said apertures and wholly below the surface of the cylinder, each of the worm wheels of said device being 'mounted on a common shaft and coacting with its worm to move said roller to tighten its respective band, said worm wheel being capable of independent movement to provlde an independent adjustment of its respective band.

WM. Y. DEAR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

